


I'm Scared (of Loving You)

by SummerRaine14



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Snowed In, brief mention of past sex, late nights at the office, they avoid the L word at all costs, weather makes them face their feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 20:52:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerRaine14/pseuds/SummerRaine14
Summary: Day 4 of Riverdale Reindeer Games! Vixen-Winter Wonderland-Snowed In.While working late at the office on Christmas Eve, severe weather warnings leave Betty and Jughead stuck there over night. Betty and Jughead must confront their past hookups and current feelings for each other.





	I'm Scared (of Loving You)

It had been a long night at the office for Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones. The two had been working for  _ Time  _ magazine for the past year and a half, and in the beginning, late nights like this resulted in screaming matches and empty threats. They were the classic example of two co-workers who absolutely  _ hated  _ each other. In all honesty, their paths didn’t even need to cross as often as they did. But somehow, they found themselves running into each other every day, and often stayed later than their co-workers with each other. 

 

Eventually the two’s nights would end with the two naked, sweaty bodies against each other and repressed anger turned into sex. It became a habit as they’d get irritated with each other, instead of fighting the way they used to, their clothes would make a mess across the carpeted floor. 

 

Their nights together came to an end last month when the L word slipped from Betty’s mouth, and they did everything in their power to avoid each other from then on out. But tonight was Christmas Eve, and the only two most dedicated employees who had nothing to go home to during the holidays were Betty and Jughead, so with their luck, they were forced into working on a project together. 

 

It had been hours, and the two avoided any topics besides the ones strictly about their work. 11pm arrived, and they had finished everything, in complete silence, the two young adults headed for the elevator and rode down together. 

 

They were both happy to finally leave when the snow fall outside stopped them. The street lights illuminated the fast and heavy snow, and the lack of traffic in New York City on a Friday night told them that a warning had gone out for the weather, and they were inevitably stuck inside the building. 

 

Betty grabbed her phone from her purse and scrolled through her notifications; 

 

_ STAY INSIDE. Severe weather warning for residents of New York City. In effect as of 8pm on Friday, December 24th. An expected snowfall of 4 feet. We ask that you only travel if it is an emergency and otherwise stay inside buildings with heating.  _

 

Betty sighed as she read the weather warning out loud to Jughead, and he rubbed his hand over his face. “So I guess we’re stuck here for a little while, then.”

 

“Yeah thanks for stating the obvious, Jones.” Betty snarled. 

 

“Don’t get bitchy with me, Cooper.” Jughead retaliated. “I don’t know what you’re doing but I’m going back upstairs and taking advantage of the access to food and drinks.” He didn’t look back at her as he stepped onto the elevator and let it close, leaving her downstairs alone. 

 

Betty sighed heavily, standing in front of the glass windows and doors and debated between risking her physical health and leaving or risking her emotional health and staying. She looked at her phone, reading comments on the weather warning and decided it would be best to stay inside. She wasn’t going to join Jughead in the break room though, and took the elevator to the floor where they worked and went into her office. 

 

She sat at her desk, looking through useless piles of paper as a distraction, wondering what Jughead was doing. Wondering what he was thinking. 

 

And then he was in front of her, knocking on the glass of her office door. “Can I come in?” 

 

Betty didn’t reply with words, instead nodding her head and looking back down to avoid eye contact. Jughead sat across from her in the leather seat, and leaned on the desk. “I was scared,” he whispered, not taking his eyes off of Bety as she looked up at him. “That night, when you told me...well you know. I was scared.” 

 

Again. Silence. She didn’t have anything to say to him anymore, and instead pulled out her phone to keep updated on the weather. 

 

An hour went by before they spoke again, Jughead had made them both coffees in the break room, and the only thing Betty said was “you remembered?”. She nodded her head in a ‘thank you’ with a slight smile before sipping on the coffee that was actually more sugar and cream than anything else. 

 

The snow had only gotten worse and the two finally realized that they would be camping in for the night. 

 

“I wanted to say it back, you know,” Jughead looked at Betty as she was getting comfortable on the small sofa in their lounge room. “I know how I feel and I’ve felt the same way for a long time.”

 

“You’ve spent the better part of the last month avoiding me,” she argued, “you don’t do that to someone you...well you know.”

 

“See,” he smirked, “it may have slipped out once but you can’t bring yourself to say it again,” Jughead sighed, “I don’t think we’re ready to feel that way about each other after being in a strictly sexual relationship.”

 

“You’re right, Jug, I just wish you weren’t such an asshole about it this month.” 

 

He knew she was right, and he didn’t have an argument to defend himself. But as he watched Betty struggle to get warm, Jughead stood from his uncomfortable chair and walked over to her. “Let me hold you,” he offered, “Christmas is all about forgiving, and if you look at your clock, it is technically Christmas day,” Jughead smiled when Betty rolled her eyes. 

 

“Fine,” she rested into him and smiled at the warmth, “but no funny business Jones, I still think you’re an asshole.” 

 

“Of course, Cooper. No funny business.” 

 

The two laid in silence for a while before Betty lifted her head from Jughead’s chest and whispered, “Merry Christmas, Jug.”

 

He laughed, squeezing her just a little tighter and placed a kiss to her forehead, “Merry Christmas, Betty.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me @srainebuggie on Tumblr AND @riverdaleevents for all Riverdale characters and ship events, Reindeer Games runs until the 14th of December (but all works can be submitted until January 1st) Show off your creativity or simply support fellow writers/creators in the Riverdale fam!


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